Interview With The Founder Of Billy Jealousy, Pat Parsi

6 Questions With The Founder Of Billy Jealousy

Pat Parsi founded Billy Jealousy in 2004 with the goal of creating a brand of highly efficacious grooming products driven by science and nature and wrapped in a sexy and fun brand experience. Since then, his cleverly named and designed brand has steadily grown to include more than 40 products sold through hundreds of retailers in dozens of countries. As big fans of Pat, his products and what he’s built, we sat down and asked him five semi-random questions. And guess what, he answered them all.

CAN YOU GIVE US TWO GREAT SKIN CARE TIPS FOR MEN?

“First, try refrigerating your face moisturizers. It will make the product last longer and will reduce skin puffiness when applied to the skin. It also feels kinda’ nice applying a cool lotion to your face in the morning. Wakes you up.

Secondly, use different moisturizers for day and night. Use a lightweight one with a sunblock in the morning that offers full UVA/UVB protection. In the evening, use a heavier moisturizer that takes a few hours to slowly absorb into the skin for greater penetration and effectiveness.”

HOW ABOUT SOME INSIGHTFUL HAIR SUGGESTIONS?

“Since a man’s eyes and hair tend to be the first things people look at upon meeting, it’s essential to use the right product to generate the best look (we’re talking about hair). For textured, feathered looks, use a paste or clay. For smooth-looking pompadours, use a pomade or hair gel (the latter of which has been making a comeback). And don’t limit beard oils to your beard. They work great in hair as well to strengthen and prevent breakage.”

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED RUNNING YOUR COMPANY?

“Product development, sales, marketing and logistics can all be challenging, so the most-important thing is to have a great team in place. Once you have that, then the rest becomes much, much easier.”

WHAT SKILL DO YOU THINK IS MOST ESSENTIAL TO BEING A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR?

“Most entrepreneurial magazines will tell you that perseverance is the most important thing to have. I agree but what really sets brands apart is the creativity that goes into the brand. And this is true for just about any industry. The most creative brands, the ones willing to take risks and try new things, are often the most successful.”

WHAT BOOKS ARE A MUST-READ FOR BUSINESS?

“I like anything by Seth Godin. I like how his mind operates. I also particularly like Mark Cuban’s book, How To Win At the Sport of Business. The best part is when he talks about the Path of Least Resistance. Whatever is the easiest way is the way customers will choose.”

HERE’S A SOFTBALL QUESTION. WHAT ARE YOUR THREE FAVORITE BILLY JEALOUSY PRODUCTS?

“I like Gold Standard All Over Wash, Slush Fund Styling Mud and Assassin Intensive Face Moisturizer. For me they hit all cylinders when it comes to aesthetics and performance.”

This article was written and appeared on mike@groominglounge.com. Grooming Lounge and our Founder, Mike Gilman, were quoted a lot, so we borrowed the article. Giving them credit -- hope it's OK.